Technologies for sanitizing medical devices

Abstract

Technologies for sanitizing medical devices are described. In particular, sanitizing systems, components of sanitizing systems, and methods for sanitizing medical devices such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) equipment are described. In embodiments, the sanitizing systems include a sanitizing gas generator and a base including at least one exhaust port and a filter.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sanitization system, comprising:
 a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, the CPAP device including a water reservoir in fluid communication with a CPAP continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) hose and atmospheric air; 
 a base comprising a sanitizing chamber, the sanitizing chamber comprising an opening, a sanitizing gas inlet, and a sanitizing gas outlet; 
 a lid configured to transition between an open lid position and a closed lid position, wherein the lid is configured to extend across the opening when the lid is in the closed position; 
 a sanitizing gas generator configured to generate a sanitizing gas; 
 a primary fan or pump fluidly disposed upstream of the sanitizing gas inlet, the CPAP device, and the CPAP hose, the primary fan or pump configured to push or draw at least a portion of said sanitizing gas from the sanitizing gas generator into the water reservoir of the CPAP device, from the water reservoir through the CPAP hose and the sanitizing gas inlet and into the sanitizing chamber; 
 a secondary fan or pump fluidly disposed downstream of the sanitizing gas outlet, the CPAP device, and the CPAP hose, the secondary fan or pump configured to push or draw at least a portion of said sanitizing gas from the water reservoir through the CPAP hose through the sanitizing gas outlet and out of the sanitizing chamber when the lid is in the closed position; and 
 a filter configured to be in fluid communication with at least one exhaust port. 
 
     
     
       2. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein the filter is a filter cartridge comprising a shell and a filter media housed within the shell, the shell comprising a filter inlet and a filter outlet. 
     
     
       3. The sanitization system of  claim 2 , the secondary fan or pump is located upstream of said filter inlet. 
     
     
       4. The sanitization system of  claim 2 , wherein the secondary fan or pump is located downstream of said filter outlet. 
     
     
       5. The sanitization system of  claim 2 , wherein said filter cartridge comprises a filter inlet seal disposed around said inlet. 
     
     
       6. The sanitization system of  claim 5 , wherein the filter inlet seal comprises a peripheral surface and a flange that extends at an angle from the peripheral surface. 
     
     
       7. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary fan or pump is located upstream of said filter. 
     
     
       8. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary fan or pump is located downstream of said filter. 
     
     
       9. The sanitization system of  claim 8 , wherein the secondary fan or pump is configured draw sanitizing gas through said filter. 
     
     
       10. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein said sanitizing gas generator, said primary fan or pump, and said secondary fan or pump are housed within said base. 
     
     
       11. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller and at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to monitor a condition of the system and to output a sensor signal indicative of the monitored condition to the controller, and the controller is configured to permit or prevent execution of a sanitizing operation with said system based at least in part on said sensor signal. 
     
     
       12. The sanitization system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor includes:
 a lid detection sensor configured to detect a position of the lid of said sanitizing chamber; 
 a tray position sensor configured to detect a position of a filter tray configured to receive said filter; 
 a filter detection sensor configured to detect the filter of said system; or 
 a combination of two or more thereof. 
 
     
     
       13. The sanitization system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the at least one sensor comprises a filter detection sensor configured to detect said filter and to output a filter detection signal; 
 the controller is configured to determine whether said filter is an authorized filter based at least in part on said filter detection signal; and 
 said controller is configured to permit, prevent, or discontinue execution of a sanitizing operation by said sanitization system based at least in part on said filter detection signal. 
 
     
     
       14. The sanitization system of  claim 13 , wherein said filter comprises communications circuitry, and said filter detection sensor is configured to produce said filter detection signal based on communication with said communications circuitry. 
     
     
       15. The sanitization system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the at least one sensor includes a tray position sensor configured to detect a position of said filter tray and output a filter tray detection signal; 
 the controller is configured to detect a position of said filter tray based at least in part on said filter tray detection signal; and 
 said controller is configured to permit, prevent or discontinue execution of a sanitizing cycle by said sanitization system based at least in part on the detected position of said filter tray. 
 
     
     
       16. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein the primary fan or pump and the secondary fan or pump operate simultaneously. 
     
     
       17. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein the primary fan or pump, the secondary fan or pump, and the sanitizing gas generator operate simultaneously. 
     
     
       18. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein the primary fan or pump and the secondary fan or pump operate simultaneously during evacuation of sanitizing chamber. 
     
     
       19. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein the primary fan or pump is always upstream of the sanitizing chamber when the primary fan or pump is operating. 
     
     
       20. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein the primary fan or pump includes only a single supply path. 
     
     
       21. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein an inlet of the primary fan or pump does not draw fluid from the sanitizing chamber when the primary fan or pump is operating. 
     
     
       22. The sanitization system of  claim 1 , wherein the sanitizing gas outlet is downstream of the primary fan or pump when the primary fan or pump is operating. 
     
     
       23. A sanitization system for sanitizing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, the CPAP device including a water reservoir in fluid communication with a CPAP continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) hose and atmospheric air, wherein the sanitization system comprises:
 a base comprising a sanitizing chamber, the sanitizing chamber comprising an opening, a sanitizing gas inlet, and a sanitizing gas outlet; 
 a lid configured to transition between an open lid position and a closed lid position, wherein the lid is configured to extend across the opening when the lid is in the closed position; 
 a sanitizing gas generator configured to generate a sanitizing gas; 
 a primary fan or pump fluidly disposed upstream of the sanitizing gas inlet, the CPAP device, and the CPAP hose, the primary fan or pump configured to push or draw at least a portion of said sanitizing gas from the sanitizing gas generator into the water reservoir of the CPAP device, from the water reservoir through the CPAP hose and the sanitizing gas inlet and into the sanitizing chamber, wherein an inlet of the primary fan or pump does not draw fluid from the sanitizing chamber when the primary fan or pump is operating; 
 a secondary fan or pump fluidly disposed downstream of the sanitizing gas outlet, the CPAP device, and the CPAP hose, the secondary fan or pump configured to push or draw at least a portion of said sanitizing gas from the water reservoir through the CPAP hose through the sanitizing gas outlet and out of the sanitizing chamber when the lid is in the closed position; and 
 a filter configured to be in fluid communication with the at least one exhaust port. 
 
     
     
       24. A sanitization system for sanitizing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, the CPAP device including a water reservoir in fluid communication with a CPAP continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) hose, a CPAP mask, and atmospheric air, wherein the sanitization system comprises:
 a base comprising a sanitizing chamber, the sanitizing chamber comprising an opening, a sanitizing gas inlet, and a sanitizing gas outlet; 
 a lid configured to transition between an open lid position and a closed lid position, wherein the lid is configured to extend across the opening when the lid is in the closed position; 
 a sanitizing gas generator configured to generate a sanitizing gas; 
 a primary fan or pump fluidly disposed upstream of the sanitizing gas inlet, the CPAP device, and the CPAP hose, the primary fan or pump configured to push or draw at least a portion of said sanitizing gas from the sanitizing gas generator into the water reservoir of the CPAP device, from the water reservoir through the CPAP hose and the sanitizing gas inlet and into the sanitizing chamber, wherein an inlet of the primary fan or pump is upstream of the sanitizing gas outlet when the primary fan or pump is operating; 
 a secondary fan or pump fluidly disposed downstream of the sanitizing gas outlet, the CPAP device, the CPAP hose, and the CPAP mask, the secondary fan or pump configured to push or draw at least a portion of said sanitizing gas from the water reservoir through the CPAP hose, the CPAP mask, and through the sanitizing gas outlet and out of the sanitizing chamber when the lid is in the closed position; and 
 a filter configured to be in fluid communication with the at least one exhaust port.